Mayor's Healthy Heart Award: Carmela Castellano-Garcia

By Mayor Fernando Vasquez

As you may know, I am an advocate for accessible healthcare. Regardless of what you may think of the Affordable Care Act, we can all agree that having access to preventive care saves taxpayers millions of dollars.

This month’s recipient of the Mayor’s Healthy Heart Award is someone who is a true pioneer in the arena of healthcare.

Carmela Castellano-Garcia is president and CEO of California Primary Care Association, an organization that represents more 1,100 community clinics and health centers (CCHCs) and serve 5.7 million patients statewide.

Carmela has become a leading expert in health policy issues, including the healthcare safety net, Latino and multi-cultural health access issues, health care reform, and primary care. She is also the president of the Castellano Family Foundation,  an organization that was founded by her parents and has awarded nearly $4 million in grants.

Her passion for advocating healthcare for underserved populations helps to continue to strengthen the state’s health care safety net.

Carmela earned her degree from Yale Law School in 1991 following her graduation from University of California Berkeley.

It truly is my honor to present Carmela Castellano-Garcia with the Mayor’s Healthy Heart Award for her commitment toward improving the health, well-being and future success for the residents of the City of Downey and for the residents of the State of California.